In addition to Phipps, the coaches included Harsimar Dhanoa, a former Granada Hills student and decathlon winner, and Jonathan Sturtevant, who said four of the nine members of this year’s team had returned from last year.

“They loved each other so much they became like a family,” he said of the current group. He said the team was traveling to Chicago late Saturday night so they could enjoy the day there Sunday before flying home.